1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of watercraft loading and launching apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to a watercraft loading and launching apparatus that is adapted for attaching to a trailer hitch receiver. More particularly, the present invention relates to a watercraft loading and launching apparatus that is adapted for attaching to a trailer hitch receiver on a pickup truck. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a watercraft loading and launching apparatus that includes a supporting device adapted for attaching to a trailer hitch receiver on a pickup truck and a cradle assembly placed within the bed of the pickup truck.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Boats and other watercraft are generally transported on trailers. Trailers usually fit at least one watercraft and attach to any type of vehicle. Many watercraft owners already have a pickup truck or truck which is able to transport goods in the cargo bed. Generally, these people prefer using the bed of the pickup truck for carrying and transporting their small watercraft. They do not feel that it is desirable to transport their small watercraft on trailers towed behind their pickup trucks. Using the cargo bed of a truck has the advantage of not requiring storage of a trailer. Also, there are the added advantages of no trailer registration, no trailer insurance and no trailer maintenance. Further, it also reduces the difficulty with which to handle the truck because of the maneuverability of the trailer behind the truck.
Most small watercraft are sufficiently heavy and cumbersome to make loading and unloading without two or more people difficult. Even so, while such small watercraft may be lifted by several men into the cargo bed of a pickup truck for transport, it is not easy. Particularly, one or two men are unable to perform such a loading operation with ease and with sufficient care to prevent damage to the boat being loaded. Consequently, recreational vehicles of this type are often loaded on and unloaded from a trailer which is backed into the water, typically on a ramp.
Several devices have been created for carrying boats, recreational vehicles, and other types of watercraft in the bed of a truck. There are other devices that have been created to support loads such as lumber beyond the end of the pickup truck bed thus allowing the truck to carry longer loads than would normally fit in the cargo bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,810 (1996, H. Cameron Florus) discloses an easily removable dual purpose apparatus for safely transporting personal watercraft in a truck bed. The rack includes a tubular frame with legs for supporting the rack within the truck bed. The personal watercraft is supported by two spaced parallel tubes of the frame. The apparatus further includes removable ramp pieces with expanded ends and a low friction covering for connecting to two larger pieces of tubing which are bent to a 45 degree angle. The two larger pieces are then connected to the end of the rack. The ramp pieces serve as a means for loading the personal watercraft onto the rack in the cargo bed of the truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,164 (1994, S. A. Goss et al.) discloses a boat launching apparatus for pickup trucks which includes a trailer framework unit pivotally attached on the rear bumper of the truck. The apparatus also has an automatic control for raising and lowering the trailer framework unit relative to the bed of the truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,356 (1990, B. E. Wrenn) discloses an apparatus for loading, unloading and storing a jet-propelled water vehicle. The apparatus comprise a first pair of tubes made of relatively smooth-surfaced plastic plumbing pipe or the like, a second pair of tubes of similar construction which telescopes within and extends from the first pair of tubes, and devices to adjustably support and space the first pair of tubes on a truck bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,580 (1980, R. O. Fluck) discloses a loading and support rack for support from the rear of a pickup truck load bed and with the rack overlying and extending forwardly of the tailgate of the pickup truck when the tailgate is in a horizontal position. A horizontal transverse winch mounting structure is provided for support from the upper marginal edge portion of the forward wall of the truck bed. An elongated support frame is also provided and includes a front and rear ends, slightly dependingly supported opposite side forward support wheels and a center rear roller as well as opposite side rollers spaced centrally intermediate the opposite ends of the frame. The winch cable is attached to the boat and the boat as well as the boat supporting frame is pulled up onto and in the load bed of the pickup truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,813 (1997, P. G. Ouellette) discloses a vehicle long-load stabilizer. The apparatus is attachable to a vehicle's standard tube type trailer hitch using a clevis pin. The apparatus consists of a horizontal member, a vertically angled member, and a horizontal stabilizing member. The apparatus allows longer loads to be carried and disassembles for convenient transport and storage within the vehicle when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,088 (1995, R. L. Broad) discloses a combination frame-supported box receiver and self-stabilizing bed extension. The extension apparatus includes two pieces for providing a two-axis, cantilevered extension for a pickup truck. One piece is a longitudinal-running box beam welded at an upward cantilever angle to a short stub section. The second piece is T-shaped when viewed from above and it includes a single adjustment telescoping transition beam which serves as the transition from the longitudinal box beam to the load-supporting cross beam that is transversely oriented relative to the longitudinal beam.
Therefore what is needed is a watercraft loading and launching device that allows one person to easily load and unload a watercraft onto and from the cargo bed of a pickup truck. What is further needed is a watercraft loading and launching device that can be removably attached to the trailer hitch receiver on a pickup truck. What is still further needed is a watercraft loading and launching device that can be removed and easily stored within the cargo bed of the pickup truck. What is further needed is a watercraft loading and launching device that can be used with watercraft having various shaped bottoms such as V-bottom, semi V-bottom, flat bottom, pontoon-shaped bottom and the like. What is also needed is a watercraft loading and launching device that has a separate cradle assembly for supporting the watercraft within the cargo bed of a pickup truck that prevents damage to the watercraft and the truck during loading, unloading and transporting the watercraft.